Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Meanwhile, the kid going to the pros can't count the money he's making.
The NCAA, the "guardians" of college athletics, has decided that it will no longer permit teams with Native American (or as they used to be called:Indian) mascots or nicknames to participate in its championships. The dunderheads at the NCAA has decided that the names and mascots are "hostile and abusive" to the tribes.
This, of course, comes as a major shock to the Seminole Tribe in Florida where they have worked with Florida State University for decades. The Tribe has also threatened to help legal action with FSU regarding the rule. This also comes against the wishes of many others who resent the loud mouth belly-aching minority making them look like idiots.
This rule also comes after the progress of recent years where the Indian mascots have been consistently treated with more respect than most other ethnic groups (A short bearded Irishman pumping his fists springs easily to mind). Long gone are the days when the Atlanta Braves had a white cracker in the outfield dancing a jig when the Braves hit a homerun.
The NCAA rule comes when it should be looking at rules that make sense, like requiring graduation rates or putting in a playoff system in Division I football. (Of course, there may be an out there for teams like Florida State and Illinois who may get to play for a mythical football championship since it's not "sanctioned" as a championship like every other sport.) Also do they want to keep out a legitimate contender for a championship just because the team wants to honor Native Americans by naming the most respected, most watched, most revenue producing students, namely the teams, after a group who is respected for their skills, courage and character. That's not just stupid, it's silly.
The dunderheads at the NCAA need to get their collective head out its collective anus and start focusing on making the sludge pit of college athletics better. I'm sure there are more people upset that Steve Spurrier promises two thieves on his team special police treatment if they return items they stole, or about kids that are being used to make the schools money then being dropped like a hot potato when they blow out a knee, or job hopping coaches that promise high school kids the world then jumps at the next better job, than there are that Indiana University of Pennsylvania is called the Indians. Even though the mascot is a bear.
This, of course, comes as a major shock to the Seminole Tribe in Florida where they have worked with Florida State University for decades. The Tribe has also threatened to help legal action with FSU regarding the rule. This also comes against the wishes of many others who resent the loud mouth belly-aching minority making them look like idiots.
This rule also comes after the progress of recent years where the Indian mascots have been consistently treated with more respect than most other ethnic groups (A short bearded Irishman pumping his fists springs easily to mind). Long gone are the days when the Atlanta Braves had a white cracker in the outfield dancing a jig when the Braves hit a homerun.
The NCAA rule comes when it should be looking at rules that make sense, like requiring graduation rates or putting in a playoff system in Division I football. (Of course, there may be an out there for teams like Florida State and Illinois who may get to play for a mythical football championship since it's not "sanctioned" as a championship like every other sport.) Also do they want to keep out a legitimate contender for a championship just because the team wants to honor Native Americans by naming the most respected, most watched, most revenue producing students, namely the teams, after a group who is respected for their skills, courage and character. That's not just stupid, it's silly.
The dunderheads at the NCAA need to get their collective head out its collective anus and start focusing on making the sludge pit of college athletics better. I'm sure there are more people upset that Steve Spurrier promises two thieves on his team special police treatment if they return items they stole, or about kids that are being used to make the schools money then being dropped like a hot potato when they blow out a knee, or job hopping coaches that promise high school kids the world then jumps at the next better job, than there are that Indiana University of Pennsylvania is called the Indians. Even though the mascot is a bear.
